Helicopter ditches in North Sea (Ditching Aug23 2013) - Public Inquiry

King4aDay · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:35

If this proves to be another mechanical failure then surely it's the end for super pumas in the North Sea?

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:37

Being reported as a Super Puma, but not the particular model. If it's a repeat of the EC225 issues, I can't see that particular model flying again in the North Sea.

King4aDay · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:37

STV are reporting it as a AS332 L2.

Nutella33 · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:38

need to buy some NH90's sharpish

pgi947 · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:41

King4aDay said:
If this proves to be another mechanical failure then surely it's the end for super pumas in the North Sea?

You'd think so, they only went back into operational service a few months back, even then many were sceptical about using them. But it depends what caused it to ditch, could have been anything.

Edit: Didn't realise OcUK had so many members up this end

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:42

Nah, there's at least 3 different versions of the Super Puma in service, so it'll depend what caused it and if it's common to all models.

dowie · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:50

slambo69 said:
The article has been updated, seems all 14 people made it to a life craft.

that's good at least... hope they find all of them

Nutella33 · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:53

dowie said:
that's good at least... hope they find all of them

that was a previous crash, i made the same mistake reading. check time dates

Biohazard · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:02

King4aDay said:
If this proves to be another mechanical failure then surely it's the end for super pumas in the North Sea?

The Unions will kick up a hell of a stink about it I would imagine, and rightfully so, I would imagine trust and safety record is a paramount concern in that business.

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:04

Biohazard said:
The Unions will kick up a hell of a stink about it I would imagine, and rightfully so, I would imagine trust and safety record is a paramount concern in that business.

The unions know not to kick up too much of a stink about it as it'll cost hundreds if not thousands of jobs.

Biohazard · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:06

Jokester said:
The unions know not to kick up too much of a stink about it as it'll cost hundreds if not thousands of jobs.

As in shore based support services?

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:11

Biohazard said:
As in shore based support services?

Not just the shore based services, but the non-essential offshore work that goes on and the shore based services to support it. If they force the removal of aircraft then it just won't be possible to get everyone that works offshore, offshore. When the EC225s were grounded 100s lost their jobs offshore.

MarkeR · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:14

From another forum.

Re: Helicopter ditches in North Sea
The chopper was coming from the Alwyn, im on here the now and ive just been told this

Quote:
Originally Posted by wickbear
Do you know if it was direct from NAB mate or via DUN too? Fingers x'd they get them all.
5 left North Alwyn, the rest were the Dunbar mate

Supposedly three unaccounted for.

Tefal · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:14

-Ad- said:
I remember seeing the hardcore firefighting training going on with 1/2 a plane on fire. Those guys are hardcore!

we had to do our working at heights training with the onsite firefighters, they told us that if they can't get to the plane in under 3 minutes it's too late as the aluminum structure will have started burning and then it's too late to put it out.

grumpybeard · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:14

BBC News reporting 3 missing??? I hope all are recovered, thoughts with them right now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-23821083

Biohazard · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:15

Jokester said:
Not just the shore based services, but the non-essential offshore work that goes on and the shore based services to support it. If they force the removal of aircraft then it just won't be possible to get everyone that works offshore, offshore. When the EC225s were grounded 100s lost their jobs offshore.

Alternative aircraft?

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:17

Biohazard said:
Alternative aircraft?

There isn't a pile of spare choppers sitting around not being used. When the last lot were grounded, they managed to get some from down South and Norway but even then they had to get some S92s from Sikorsky and that took months to arrive.

Biohazard · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:20

Jokester said:
There isn't a pile of spare choppers sitting around not being used. When the last lot were grounded, they managed to get some from down South and Norway but even then they had to get some S92s from Sikorsky and that took months to arrive.

I'm surprised that there is such a lack of supply. It does seem more frequent than what you would expect, these failures and accidents, so it would be nice to see some of the record investment the sector has drawn in to be reflected in providing more robust and reliable aircraft.

That may be a bit of a hope as we stand, but it's certainly a point I'd be making if I was involved in O&G Trade Unionism.

Nutella33 · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:22

Tefal said:
we had to do our working at heights training with the onsite firefighters, they told us that if they can't get to the plane in under 3 minutes it's too late as the aluminum structure will have started burning and then it's too late to put it out.

thats a bit of a worry considering they take about 30 mins to come to a block fire

Jokester · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:22

Biohazard said:
I'm surprised that there is such a lack of supply. It does seem more frequent than what you would expect, these failures and accidents, so it would be nice to see some of the record investment the sector has drawn in to be reflected in providing more robust and reliable aircraft.

That may be a bit of a hope as we stand, but it's certainly a point I'd be making if I was involved in O&G Trade Unionism.

Efficiency forces you down the route of having as little spare capacity as possible unfortunately.

Tefal said:
we had to do our working at heights training with the onsite firefighters, they told us that if they can't get to the plane in under 3 minutes it's too late as the aluminum structure will have started burning and then it's too late to put it out.

I've heard the same thing as well.